If you work on computers all day and well into the night like I do, you probably have some issues with your eyes. I used to have 20/20 vision until a few years ago. I couldn't see the small print on my computer screen, even after I adjusted the monitor's settings. Sometimes, everything would appear blurry or out of focus. Eventually, I sought help from an eye doctor. The doctor diagnosed me with computer vision syndrome and prescribed eyeglasses to correct it. Now, I rest my eyes as much as possible when I work. I wanted to help other people with their vision problems, so I started this blog. My blog offers many tips on how to improve your eyesight, as well as what to do when your vision fails. Good luck with your vision problems and thanks for stopping in.
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder are often already aware of the unique structural changes in their child's mind caused by the condition. But you may be surprised to learn that autism can also significantly impact your child's visual health, both in terms of how the eye functions and how the brain interprets those signals. Autism is thought to cause an increased prevalence of eye disorders in autistic individuals, and that is why it is so important to visit an ophthalmologist regularly. As your child ages, you may see one or more of the following three side effects develop, but the good news is that many of these effects are treatable and reversible.
Hindering Saccadic Accuracy
When your eyes move to focus on an object, they bounce back and forth rapidly until they have locked on to their target. This is called saccadic eye movement, and studies have shown that autistic people may have impaired saccadic control and response times. This trait is so powerfully connected to autism spectrum disorder that it can even show up in non-autistic family members and is sometimes used to reliably diagnose the condition. Although this irregularity does not impact intelligence or the ability to focus on a given task, it can fundamentally change the way your child interprets and interacts with the world, and it may be part of the reason why some autistic people prefer not to look at others directly.
Increasing the Risk for Amblyopia and Strabismus
A 2012 study conducted over the course of several years found that around 40 percent of autistic children will eventually develop an ophthalmologic disorder. Of the studied individuals, 21 percent suffered from strabismus and 10 percent from amblyopia. These conditions are caused by muscular deficiencies in the eye, which may also be responsible for delayed saccadic responses. Thankfully, crossed and lazy eyes can now be treated both quickly and successfully, particularly when the issue is caught and corrected early.
Adjusting How Your Child Perceives the World
Besides altering the muscular coordination and power of the eyes, it seems that autism may also directly change how your child sees the world. Autistic individuals often have trouble focusing directly on objects, which may be part of their desire to avoid eye contact. In fact, there is some evidence that people with autism have sharper peripheral vision than neurotypical individuals, meaning they may be paying much closer attention to you than you think. Despite these disadvantages, autistic children can grow up to be perfectly healthy and functional, with no noticeable visual impairments. By keeping up regular appointments with your ophthalmologist, you can catch these potential problems early and begin treatment as quickly as possible.
Share5 July 2016
